Sheet metal slip roll former



Nov. 11, 1952 TIFFT 2,617,467

SHEET METAL SLIP ROLL FORMER Filed Nov. 28, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 William 6. Tiff! B 2mm;

Nov. 11, 1952 w, TlFFT 2,617,467

SHEET METAL SLIP ROLL FORMER Filed Nov. 28, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor William 6. Tiff? W. C. TIFFT SHEET METAL SLIP ROLL FORMER Nov. 11, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 28. 1947 William 6. Tiff! Nov. 11, 1952 w. c. TIFFT 2,617,467

SHEET METAL SLIP ROLL FORMER Filed Nov. 28, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 6.

Inventor William 6. Ti f f I Patented Nov. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHEET METAL SLIP ROLL FORMER William C. Tifft, Seymour, Conn., assignor to Frederick Iron & Steel, Inc., Frederick, Md.

"This invention comprises novel and useful mprovements in a sheet metal slip roll former and more specifically pertains to a device for rolling sheet metal into various conical or cylindrical shapes.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for coiling sheet metal into rolls of predetermined size and shape.

A further important object is to provide an apparatus in accordance with the foregoing object capable of easily accommodating itself to various thicknesses of sheet metal and of producing rolls of various selected sizes and shapes.

Yet another important intention is to provide a machine in conformity with the preceding objects, which is capable of easy and quick release and removal of the formed sheet metal roll therefrom.

A very important feature of the invention consists in providing a device having a tiltable pressure roll journaled in relatively fixed bearings, a movable pressure roll whose bearings are adjustable to vary its spacing from the tiltable pressure roll and a bending roll likewise journaled in bearings adjustable with respect to each of the other rolls.

A further important feature consists of forming one bearing of the tiltablepressure roll tiltable and the other bearing easily releasable in order to tilt and free one end of the tiltable pressure roll to facilitate the removal of the material rolled thereabout.

' Another important feature of the invention comprehends the provision of a camming lever for releasing the removable journal bearing, and a tilting vlever for swinging the tilting bearing of the tiltable pressure roll, these levers being-positioned in juxtaposition for convenient manipulation by the operator.

Still another feature of the invention includes the provision of a novel and advantageous gearing assembly connecting the various rolls for timed operation thereof, together with a simple means for applying power to the rolls for rotating the same.

An additional feature comprises the provision of a gearing assembly for maintaining a constant and uninterrupted driving and synchronized engagement between the various rolls throughout their range of adjustment relative to each other.

And a final important feature to be specifically enumerated herein, resides in a novel construction of lever operated means for replacing and looking or releasing and removing the bearing cap of the removable bearing by successive positions of the camming lever in a single or continuous movement thereof.

These, together with various ancillary objects and features ofthe invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are obtained by this device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine from the front, in operative position;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the right end of the machine in its released position;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the right end of the machine taken substantially upon the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 6, showing the operating mechanism therein, alter- I native positions and hidden portions of certain parts being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view, taken substantially upon theplane of the section line 4-4 of Figure 5, of the left end of the machine;

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view Referring now more particularly to the ac-' companying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, there is indicated at ll] in Figure 1 the bed plate, base or supporting frame of a device constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention. Mounted upon the base It, in spaced positions thereon, are a pair of supports l2 and I4 comprising the end supports for journaling and retaining a plurality of rolls as set forth hereinafter.

The end support 12 which may be called the tail support of the device, is preferably in the form of a housing, having a removable end closure plate 16 for obtaining access to the part housed therein. The support l4 which may be called the end support of the device is preferably an open framework construction in order to give greater access to the end of the tiltable pressure roll as set forth hereinafter.

Rotatably journaled in the two supports, and each having its ends individually adjustable therein, are a pair of pressure rolls l8 and 20, the former being tiltable about its end journaled in the housing [2, while the latter is displaceable toward and from the tiltable roll l8, and is termed hereinafter the movable pressure roll; while a third roll 22, shown best in Figures 3 and 5, has its extremities journaled in the two supports 12 and I4 for independent movement thereof.

Attention is directed first to the means for journaling and adjusting the movable pressure roll 20, and for this purpose reference is made more particularly to Figures 3 and 4. As shown,

the extremities of the movable roll. 20, are pro-.

vided with hearing portions 24 of reduced diameter, it being understood that these bearing portions could be provided at any other part of the roll besides or in place of their positionat the.

extremities. The reduced portions are journaled in bearing blocks 26, whose construction is shown best in Figures 7 and 8. The bearing blocks 25 are provided with bores 28: constituting journal bearings for receiving the reduced ends. 24 ofv the roll 20-, and are provided with parallel. oppositely positioned guide surfaces 30 having laterally ex-.

tending guide flanges 32 formed at the ends there.-

of.. The guide surfaces 30: and. flanges 32 are slidably received in and guided in complementaryshaped guide channels 34. which are vertically disposed in alignment with each other in the twosupports i2 and I4. A vertical bore 35 opens f to the lower part ofthe guiding channel 34 and intersected by a similar horizontally disposed bore 38 opening from the front and exterior of the two end supports. The lower ends of the vertical bores 36, as shown best in Figure 3, and 3,

Figure; 5, are closed bya plug 40, which also serves as a stop. to limit the downwardmovement of a. push; rod 42- which is slidablein. the bore 38 and whose: lower extremity iswedge-shaped to provide a cammed surface or bevel 44 at the lower end thereof. This bevelled surface is positioned to face and be contacted by and operated by-a similar bevelled surface 46 formed, at the inner extremity of a second push rod 48 which is slidable in the bore 38.

It will thus be seen that the two bevelled surfaces 44 and 46 will serve to prevent relative rotation of the two engaging push rods 42 and 48, and-will serve as camoperating means whereby movement of one rodlongitudinally of its bore will produce a corresponding reciprocation. of the other push rod. 'The outer end of the rod 48 is engaged by the inner end of ascrew-threaded1stem50 engageablein corresponding screw threads,v in the bore 38, this stem being provided with; an operating knob or handle. 52. for rotating the same;

It will thus be readily seen that the knob 52 of eitherof the two end supports'may be rotated to thereby cause a vertical adjustment of the bearing blocks supporting the end of the movable or lower pressure'roll, whereby the latter may be moved toward and from the upper pressure roll, and whereby the axis of rotation of the movable roll may be inclined slightly with respect to the horizontal plane and with respect to the axis of the upper roll.

The most important function of this adjustment however, is to vary the clearancebetween the; upper and lower pressure rolls in. order to adapt the same to accommodate different thicknesses of sheet metal plates adapted to be rolled or formed thereby.

Attention is next directed to the third or the bending roll indicated. at 2-2, and the means for lengthwise of the bas member l0.

adjusting the position of the same. This roll is formed similarly to the two pressure rolls l8 and 20, and at its extremities is provided with bearing blocks 25 which are identical with those described in connection with the movable pressure roll 20. These bearing blocks are slidably received in a guide channel or bore 54 which is formed in an angular extension 56 formed upon the rear surfacesof the'two supports l2 and I4. As shown in Figure 3, the upper end of the bore 54 is open, as the guide is applied to the support l4, while as shown in Figure 5, this bore opens into the interior of the housing of the support [2. In both supports however, the guide bores 54 are parallel to each other and have their longitudinal axes inclined with respect to the vertical plane passing through the axes of the two pressure rolls, and are so positioned and so proportioned as to place the upper surface of the bending roll 22 always above the horizontal plane passing between the two pressure rolls,. whereby a sheet or plate of metal when passed. be-

tween the two pressure rolls will. engage thesur.

face of the bending. roll, and be bentv or curled;

, upwardly thereby.

Screw-threadedlyengaged within the extension 55 is the shank 58' whose inner end engages, the lower surface of the. bearing block 26', and, whose outer end is provided with an operating knob Obviously, upon rotation of the. knob 50, the bearing blocks 26 may be adjusted toward and from, and vertically with respectto-thehorizontal' plane passing between. the. two pressure rolls. By individually adjusting. the knobsv 60, the axis of the bending. roll 22' may be. disposed parallel to or inclined at various angles with respect to the. axes. of the two pressure rolls; whereby a sheet passing therebetween may,: be: rolled in a cylindrical form upon a variable and" adjustab e radius, or. may be rolled in a conical.

transverse to the longitudinal axis of the roll H3,v whereby the latter may be tilted inv the vertical plane, about the fulcrum pin 68. To look the bearing bracket 68 and the tiltable roll [8' against 7 this tilting movement, and in some instances to assist in effectingsuch movement, an arm12 is secured as at 14 to th Vertical end face of'the' bearing block 66', is provided withan ofisetportion 13 which is receivable within the confines of the opening 18 closed by the closure plate [6,

and which terminates at its lower end in an,

apertured portion which is disposed through an. opening 82 in the bottom of thetail' support 12 and into a hollow chamber 84 extending The offset portion 16 provides clearance forv certain other mechanism housed. within the tail support 12' as set forth hereinafter, during oscillation of the arm 72'. A connecting rod 85 has one end screwthreaded as at $28 and this screw-threaded end;

is loosely received within the. apertured end 89 of the operating. arm 12, whilea pair of lock. nuts for oscillating the latter upon reciprocation of the connecting link. The connecting link 86 extends the substantial length of th chamber 84 within the bed I0, and at its forward end is provided with. a down-turned portion 92 which is pivotally engaged with a locking lever 94 extending within the chamber 84, and whose rear end is pivotally connected as at 96 to the bed I0, while. the front end extends through a slot 98 in the front wall of the bed I0.

As shown best in Figure 2, this slot 98 is provided with a depressed portion I00 by. means of which the lever 94 may be depressed at one end of itsystroke and locked or retained in this posi- 7 H6." Above the slot I28, a bifurcated portion of tion. "This locked position corresponds to the uptilted or raised position of the tiltable pressure roll I8, and thus serves to maintain the latter in proper position for releasing or removing a sheet which has been rolled or formed by passage through the roll.

As shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 3, the other end of the tiltable roll I8 is provided with a reduced bearing portion I02 which rests within the lower half of a bearing I04 formed in the upper surface of the head support I4. A removable bearing cap I06, is provided with a complementary bearing surface I08 which rests upon the upper surface of the bearing I02 for releasably retaining the latter in the head support as set forth hereinafter. This bearing cap I06 is provided with bifurcated ears or lugs I I0, see Figure 6, by means of which the bearing cap is pivoted on a pivot pin II2 carried by a pair of parallel upstanding lugs II4 constituting bifurcatedextensions rising from the head support I4. The bearing cap I06 thus straddles and is pivotally mounted upon the bifurcation II4, while?a camming lever H6 is pivotally mounted between the bifurcations I I4, by means of a pivot pin I I8. As will. be seen from Figure 3, the pivot pin II8 is mounted downwardly and inwardly of the head support with respect to the pivot pin II2 which journals the bearing cap. The upper 7 end of the lever I I6 is provided with screw threads I20, upon which is adjustably secured an operating handle I22, whose lower end is contoured to provide a cam surface I24. The pivot. end of the bearing I06 is longitudinally notched or cut away as at I26, to provide the above-mentioned bifurcations H0, and to further provide a slot I28, for receiving the lever of this recess constituting a cam surface en-.

gageable by the lower end of the cam portion I24 of the handle I22, for locking the bearing cap I06 in its closed position upon the journal I02, as illustrated in full line in Figure 3. Adjacent this fcamming surface I30 is a depression I32 which receives the cam I24 upon the initial part of the opening movement of the latter, to thus release the closing pressure upon the bearing cap I06. At its other end, the recess I30 is provided with a shoulder I34 which is engageable by the operating lever H6, whereby the latter will lift and pivot the bearing cap from the dotted line open position of Figure 3 into its closing or full line position shown in Figure 3.

From this description, the operation of the camming lever and the bearing cap will be readily understood. With the parts in the closed and locked position of Figure 3, the handle I22 is first drawn rearwardly a sufiicient distance to cause-the cam surfaces I24 and I30 to disengage, and whereby the cam I24 drops into the depression I32. This releases the locking pressure on the bearing cam I06 and permits a slight counterclockwise pivoting of the bearing cap about its fulcrum II2, whereby the bearing I 08 will be disengaged from the shaft bearing I02 of the roll I8. When now continued opening movement of handle I22 causes the cam I24 to engage the outer or rear wall of the depression I32, further counter-clockwise movement of the handle causes the cam portion I24 of handle I22 to bear against the rear wall of the depression I32, and thereby cause counter-clockwise rotation of bearing cap I06 about in fulcrum II2, until the fully open position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3 is lreached. At this point, or slightly prior thereto, the eccentricities of the fulcrum pins H2 and II8, will permit complete disengagement of the lever H0 from the end of the slots I26 and I28. thereby permitting rotation of handle I22 upon the screw-threaded portion I20, in order to regulate the desired tightness of the bearing engagement of the surfaces I04 and I08 upon the bearing I02.

With the parts in the open position shown in Figure 3, the end of the upper pressure roll I8 5 the gearing assembly for operating and driving ures 4 and 5, all of the gearing is housed within the casing of the tail support I2, thus rotating the gearing at the point of the least relative movement between the rolls. As will be seen by reference to Figures 4 and 5, the roll I 8 has rigidly attached thereto a gear I36 journaled between the bifurcations 62 and 64 of the bracket 66, which gear is constantly in mesh with an idler gear I38 journaled on a lug or extension I40 carried by the bracket 66. The idler I38 is constantly engaged with a similar idler I42 jour-, naled on a pin mounted in the housing of the tail support I2, which second idler is also inmeshed with the gear I44 rigidly mounted on the end of the movable pressure roll 20. It will thus be seen that the two pressure rolls I8 and 20 are geared to each other to revolve in opposite directions. The bender roll 22 is provided with a driving gear I46 which meshes with an idler I48 journaled at the end of a strap or leaf I50 whose other end is pivoted upon the end of the bender roll adjacent the gear I46. A second connecting -,link I52 has its extremities journaled respectively on the shaft carrying the idler gear I40, and the end of the lower or movable pressure roll 20 adjacent the gear I44.

' is provided with a squared portion I54 which may be engaged by a crank I56 or any other means The opposite end of the movable pressure roll 20 is extended through the head support I4, and

such as a power source for operating and rotating the lower pressure roll. As shown best in i Figure 2, the extending portion of the lower pressure roll 20 rides in a vertical slot I58 which aermem the lowerpressure. roll. is: rotated; and through.

the gearing: gear teeth I44, I42, I38 and I36. causes; rotationin. the reverse direction of the upperor tiltable pressure roll. When these pres.- sure rollsare set tov the proper adjustment, the. sheet or plate of material is squeezed between these rolls and forced therethrough by the oppositely rotating surfaces thereof. At the same time, the gear I44 of the lower or movable pressure roll 20* by meansof the gearing I48 and I45,

causesrotation of the bender roll 22 in the same direction as that of the lower: power roll. It should be here noted that the slight relative movement of the gear I38 with respect to the gear I42- occasioned by the tilting or pivoting of the bracket 66 upon its fulcrum 68,. is compensated for by the center line of pin 68 about which rotation of bracket 66 takes place'being in alignmentwith the. rear edge of the gearing train so that such rotation tends to separate-the pitch lines of gears I 38 to I42 and allows for clearance in theti-lted position of roll I8 andpitch line operation in the working position of roll 18 Similarly, the vertical displacement of the lower pressure roll 20 and the gear I44 is permitted by the clearance between the teeth of gears I44 and I42. It should be here noted that this relative movement is comparatively small the relatively greater movement of the bender roll in its adjusted position with respect to the two pressure rolls, is obtained within altering the gearing drive thereof, by means of the linkage arrangement I50 and I52 and the idler gear I43 thereby.

It should be here noted that the principles of the invention are not limited to the embodimentas described above. Thus. instead of a bender roll, there may be provided any other meansfor imparting a bend to sheet metal slips fed through the pressure rolls; while obviously one of the pressure rolls may be maintained stationary, and the tilting end adjusting effects obtained from the other roll.

Since numerous modifications will readily oc.--'

our to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification rand accompanying drawings, its not intended to limit the invention to. the exact construction shown and.

described except as required by the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what isclaimed asnew is:

1. A sheet metal slip roll former including a base having an elongated chamber; spaced sup, ports thereon including a hollow support, a pair of, pressure rolls journaled in said supports including a tiltable roll, a bracket in said hollow support'journalingsaid tiltable roll and pivoted.

uponan axis-transverse the roll, tilting: means in said hollow support secured to said bracket and extending exteriorly of said hollow support and into said chamber an elongated slot in the wall of said base communicating with said chamber; a lever pivoted to said base and'tiltingmeans and slidable in said slot;

2. A sheet metal slip roll former including a base having an elongated chamber, spaced-supports thereon including a hollow support, a pair of pressure rolls journaled in said supports including. a tiltable roll, a bracket in said hollow support journaling said tiltable roll and pivoted upon an axis transverse the roll, tilting means in said hollow support secured to said bracket and extending exteriorly of said hollow support and? into said chamber an elongated slot in. the

wallof. said base communicating withsaid chain.

her, a lever pivotedto. said base and'tilting'mea'ns and slidable in said slot, a laterally recessed por-- tion in the Wall of said elongated slot, said lever being engageable in said recessed portion to se cure the tiltable roll in tilted position.

3. A sheet metal roll former including a base, spaced supports thereon, upper and lower pressure rolls mounted in said supports, said upper roll being pivotally journaled in one support for vertical tilting movement, the other support hav-'- ing a journal bearing in its upper surface to receive the end of the upper roll, a bearing cap pivoted to said support at one side of the journal bearing and having a journal bearing in its lower surface for receiving the end of the upper roll, a locking lever pivoted to said support on the same side of the support as the bearing cap and below and to one side of the cap pivot, a longitudinal slot in said cap for slidably receiving said lever, cooperating cam surfaces on the upper surface of said cap and on said lever for locking said cap upon said support in engagement with the upper roll.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said bearing cap slot is open at the pivoted end thereof for endwise passage of said lever.

5. A sheet metal roll former including a base, spaced supports thereon, upper and lower pressure rolls mounted in said supports, said upper roll being pivotally journaled in one support for vertical tilting movement, the other support having a journal bearing in its upper surface to receive the end of the upper roll, a bearing cap pivoted to said support and having a journal bearing in its lower surface for receiving the end of the upper roll, a locking lever pivoted to said support, a longitudinal slot in said cap for slidably receiving said lever, cooperating 'cam surfaces on the upper surface of said cap and on said lever for locking said cap upon said support in engagement with the upper roll, said lever having a screw-threaded shank and a handle adjustable thereon, the cam surfaces of the lever being carried by the handle whereby the cam sur faces may be adjusted relative to each other byrotation of the handle on the shank.

6. A sheet metal roll former. including a base, spaced. supports thereon, upper and lower pressure rolls mounted in said supports, said upper roll being pivotally journaled in. one support for.

vertical tilting movement, the other support having a journal bearing in its upper surface to receive the end of the upper roll, a bearing cap pivoted to said support and having a journal bearing in i-tslower surface for receiving the end" ofjthe. upper roll, a locking lever pivoted to said support, a longitudinal slot in said cap for. slidablyreceiving said lever, cooperating cam surfaces on the, upper surface of said cap and on said lever for'locking said cap upon said support in engagement with the upper roll, said cap having its pivot disposed upwardly and outwardly of. the lever pivot with respectto the axis of the suping a journal bearing in its upper surface to receive the end of the upper roll, a bearing cap pivoted to said support and having a journal bearing in its lower surface for receiving the end of the upper roll, a locking lever pivoted to said support, a longitudinal slot in said cap for slidably receiving said lever, cooperating cam surfaces on the upper surface of said cap and on said lever for locking said cap upon said support in engagement with the upper roll, said cap having its pivot disposed upwardly and outwardly of the lever pivot with respect to the axis of the support journal bearing, said bearing cap having a shoulder at one end of the slot and a depressed portion at the other end of said slot, said lever being movable selectively in the slot to engage the shoulder and the depressed portion to close and open the cap, said lever having a screw-threaded shank and a handle adjustable thereon, the cam surfaces of the lever being carried by the handle whereby the cam surfaces may be adjusted relative to each other by rotation of the handle on the shank.

WILLIAM C. TIFFT.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

